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第25章 蓝宝石十字架5（第1页）

arsonatthedoorsaysallserene，Sorrytoconfuseyouraccounts，butitllayforthewindow。Whatwindow?Isays。TheoneImgoingtobreak，hesays，andsmashedthatblessedanewithhisumbrella。

"

Allthreeinquirersmadeanexclamation;andtheinsectorsaidunderhisbreath，

"Areweafterescaedlunatics?

"Thewaiterwentonwithsomerelishfortheridiculousstory:

"Iwassoknockedsillyforasecond，Icouldntdoanything。Themanmarchedoutofthelaceandjoinedhisfriendjustroundthecorner。ThentheywentsoquickuBullockStreetthatIcouldntcatchthem，thoughIranroundthebarstodoit。

"

"BullockStreet，

"saidthedetective，andshotuthatthoroughfareasquicklyasthestrangecouleheursued。

Theirjourneynowtookthemthroughbarebrickwaysliketunnels;streetswithfewlightsandevenwithfewwindows;streetsthatseemedbuiltoutoftheblankbacksofeverythingandeverywhere。Duskwasdeeening，anditwasnoteasyevenfortheLondonolicementoguessinwhatexactdirectiontheyweretreading。Theinsector，however，wasrettycertainthattheywouldeventuallystrikesomeartofHamsteadHeath。Abrutlyonebulginggas-litwindowbrokethebluetwilightlikeabulls-eyelantern;andValentinstoedaninstantbeforealittlegarishsweetstuffsho。Afteraninstantshesitationhewentin;hestoodamidthegaudycoloursoftheconfectionerywithentiregravityandboughtthirteenchocolatecigarswithacertaincare。Hewasclearlyrearinganoening;buthedidnotneedone。

Anangular，elderlyyoungwomanintheshohadregardedhiselegantaearancewithamerelyautomaticinquiry;butwhenshesawthedoorbehindhimblockedwiththeblueuniformoftheinsector，hereyesseemedtowakeu。

"Oh，

"shesaid，

"ifyouvecomeaboutforthatarcel，Ivesentitoffalready。

"

"Parcel?

"reeatedValentin;anditwashisturntolookinquiring。

"Imeanthearcelthegentlemanleft-theclergymangentleman。

"

"Forgoodnesssake，

"saidValentin，leaningforwardwithhisfirstrealconfessionofeagerness，

"forHeavenssaketelluswhathaenedexactly。

"

"Well，

"saidthewomanalittledoubtfully，

"theclergymencameinabouthalfanhouragoandboughtsomeeermintsandtalkedabit，andthenwentofftowardstheHeath。Butasecondafter，oneofthemrunsbackintotheshoandsays，HaveIleftaarcel!Well，Ilookedeverywhereandcouldntseeone;sohesays，Nevermind;butifitshouldturnu，leaseostittothisaddress，andheleftmetheaddressandashillingformytrouble。Andsureenough，thoughIthoughtIdlookedeverywhere，Ifoundhedleftabrownaerarcel，soIostedittothelacehesaid。Icantremembertheaddressnow;itwassomewhereinWestminster。Butasthethingseemedsoimortant，Ithoughterhastheolicehadcomeaboutit。

"

"Sotheyhave，

"saidValentinshortly。

"IsHamsteadHeathnearhere?

"

"Straightonforfifteenminutes，

"saidthewoman，

"andyoullcomerightoutontheoen。

"

Valentinsrangoutoftheshoandbegantorun。Theotherdetectivesfollowedhimatareluctanttrot。

Thestreettheythreadedwassonarrowandshutinbyshadowsthatwhentheycameoutunexectedlyintothevoidcommonandvastskytheywerestartledtofindtheeveningstillsolightandclear。Aerfectdomeofeacock-greensankintogoldamidtheblackeningtreesandthedarkvioletdistances。Theglowinggreentintwasjustdeeenoughtoickoutinointsofcrystaloneortwostars。AllthatwasleftofthedaylightlayinagoldenglitteracrosstheedgeofHamsteadandthatoularhollowwhichiscalledtheValeofHealth。Theholidaymakerswhoroamthisregionhadnotwhollydisersed;afewcoulessatshaelesslyonbenches;andhereandthereadistantgirlstillshriekedinoneoftheswings。Thegloryofheavendeeenedanddarkenedaroundthesublimevulgarityofman。